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2 Sheets-Sheet l. W. H. DAVENPORT BREEGH LOADING GUN.

* Patented Dee. 25, 1883..

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. H. DAVENPORT.

(No Model.)

BREEGH LOADING GUN.

Patented Dec. 25

INVENTCIR WI TNESEEE- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BREECH-LOADING GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No.

Application filed May 31, 1883.

290,751, dated December 25, 1889.

(X0 model.)

To all whom. it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. DAVEN- PORT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State ofRhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBreech- Loading Guns; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersor figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My present invention relates to certain improvements in breech-loadingguns or rifles; and it consists, essentially, in constructing the guardof a peculiar shape, which, in combination with the bolt andshell-extractor, is adapted to draw the bolt, break down the barrcl,extract the shell, and cock the hammer, all by one operation of the saidguard or lever, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings, Figure 1 represents alongitudinal central section of the frame and adjacent parts of abreech-loading or breakdown gun provided with my improvements, asadapted for a hammerless gun,showing the parts in position preparatoryto firing. Fig. 2 represents a plan View of the main locking-bolt. Fig.3

. represents a plan view of a device for locking the trigger. Fig. 4represents a transverse section through the gun on line x w of Fig. 1.Fig. 5 represents a partial plan view of the guard-lever. Fig. 6, Sheet2, represents my improved guard-lever and connections as adapted for usein a hammer-gun.

The following is a more detailed description of the parts constitutingmy invention, and the manner of operating the same.

L in the drawings, Fig. 1, represents the metallic frame of a hammerlessgun, so called, which externally is of ordinary form, and connected withthe barrel II by lugs, &c., in any common manner.

B represents thelocking-bolt,which securely connects the said barrel andframe together. Said bolt is provided with a series of openings, x, w,and o, therein, the former, .r,being adapted to receive the hammer andsafety or the opening 10 is to retrigger locking device,

ceive a lug, 71?, of the barrel ll, while the opening 1) is adapted toreceive the end of the lever-guard for operating the bolt.

A represents the guard or lever, which is elongated, and extendsrearward, as shown. Said lever is pivoted and connected with the frame Lby means of the pin cf. The lever is also provided with a projection, a(see Figs. 1 and 2,) which is adapted to engage with and operate thebolt B at a. (See Fig. 2.)

A represents an auxiliary or supplemental lever, which is also connectedwith the frame L by the pin a, before referred to. Saidlever A isprovided with a projection, a, at its front or forward end for workingthe extractor s. The lever is further adapted to engage its shoulders awith the lugs 71? of the barrel when used for breaking down the barrel.

E represents the ham mcr, which is operated in firing by the spring (rand stirrup h, as common.

M represents a plate, to which the trigger hammer E, safety push-leverD, and catch all fitted and attached, the whole being through an openingand secured thereto G are adapted to be inserted therefor in the frameL, by screws, as shown.

Now, by assuming all the parts to be in the position shown, ready forfiring, the opera tion would be as follows: To fire the gun, I push thesliding block 2' forward to the end of the slot in the frame, whichmovement forces the safety-catch C out of the notch f, thereby allowingthe trigger to be operated for exploding the shell. I will now explainthe operation of break ing down the barrel after firing. XVith the thumband fingers grasp the guardlever A at the rear of the trigger, and bringit (the lever) down to the position 1, (sh own by dotted lines,) whichmovement causes the bolt 13 to be forced backward beyond the lugs h bymeans of the projection a" of the lever pressing against the surface aof saidbolt. I now depress thelever A still farther, to the position 2,(also shown by broken lines,) which causes the end a of said lever toengage with the supplemental or breakdown lever A, (see Fig. 1,) therebyfo rein g the outer end of the latter lever against the lugs of thebarrel at a, Fig. 4, thus raising the end of the lever A. and breakingdown the barrel, as shown by dotted lines.

. end of the extractor s, as shown.

* barrel, the extractor at the This latter movement also extracts theshell from the barrel by means of the projection 11 of the lever A,engaging with the forward During this latter described operation thebolt B, which is provided with -a stem, b, and spring b, is also forcedfarther rearward, when the edge 1) thereof, coming in contact with thehammer E, forces the latter back to the full-cock position, the triggerF at the same time engaging with the corresponding notch of the hammer,after which the safety-catch C is forced into position. The lever A isnow returned to its normal position by means of the spring b and bolt B,after which a cartridge can be placed in the breech or counterbore ofthe same time sliding back into its recess with it. The gun is nowclosed by raising the forward end of the barrel, which motion causes therounded edges of the lugs h to engage with the bolt at b and b, therebyforcing the bolt backward until said lugs pass through or by the bolt,when the spring 12 returns the bolt home, thus securely andautomatically locking the barrel, when all the parts will assume theposition shown in Fig. 1 by full lines. The frame L may have a mark orsymbol thereon to indieate safety when the trigger is locked, to becovered by the movement of the block i when unlocked for firing.

In Fig. 6 I have represented my improve ment as applied to anexternal-hammer gun, the safety device being deemed unnecessarytherewith. The bolt B is practically the same, although modified asregards the spring there for. before described.

Although I have represented a single gun, my improvements can as readilybe adapted for double guns.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a breeeh-loading fire-arm, the improved breech-operating mechanismherein described, consisting of the guard-lever A, supplemental lever A,and spring lockingbolt B, said lever A being pivoted to the Theoperation, however, is the same asbreech-frame L at a and provided withthe projection a, adapted to connect with and withdraw the said bolt,said lever being further provided with shoulders (1*, adapted to gularlocking-bolt B, provided with openings '0 m and stem 1), ineombinationwith the guardlever A, hammer E, and spring b, the latteradapted to close the bolt and lock the gun, the whole arrangedsubstantially as sh own and described.

4. In a breeclrloading withlevers A A, bolt B, barrel H, and frame L,the combination therewith of the plate M, adapted to receive the hammerE, trigger F, and safety locking device D C, said plate arranged andadapted to be inserted in the under side of the frame L, substantiallyas shown and set forth.

5. In a breech-loading fire-arm, the guardlever A, provided with theprojection a", in-

combination with the spring locking-bolt B fire arm provided and hammerE, substantially as shown and v set forth.

6. In a breech-loading firearm consisting of the frame L and barrel H,adapted to receive the shell-extractor s, the combination therewith ofthe levers A and A, adapted, respectively, to operate said extractor sand engage with the rectangular spring locking-bolt B, substantiallyasshown and described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

\VM. H. DAVENPORT. \Vit n esses:

\Vir. R. DUTEMPLE, Calls. HANNIGAN.

